


The Storm in His Eyes, the Stars on His Cheeks

by knifeboye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Cave-In, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, I love these boys I swear, Lance is self sacrificing, M/M, Mutual Pining, Near Death, Post-Season/Series 02, Pre-Relationship, Sappy Ending, Shiro is still missing, broganes!!, but only a lil - Freeform, keith is angsty, purely platonic on that bit, they are gr8 dumb boys in love, they flirt, they pine, they're trapped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 09:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11204931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knifeboye/pseuds/knifeboye
Summary: “I’m scared,” Lance revealed, and his voice was so small Keith almost missed it.He felt something tug in his chest, and his fingers froze in Lance’s hair.“Me, too.”Lance laughed at that, and his chest shook with the action. Keith watched as tears fell from his squinted eyes, rolling down his cheeks like shooting stars.“Good.”OR: there's a cave in, and Lance is self-sacrificing. hurt/comfort ensues.





	The Storm in His Eyes, the Stars on His Cheeks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [karovie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karovie/gifts).



> Here you are, Karoline ;) (my bestest friend)

“Tell me something else about her.”

Lance smiled, or at least he thought he did. “She smells like gardenias all the time… she could have been cooking for hours, and she’d still smell like it… her hugs are warm, and her hair is always tied up and tangled… I used to braid it for her. My sister taught me how,” Lance coughed, dust and debris particles caught in his lungs. The hand on his back went stiff as it supported him, lifting him up the slightest bit to help ease him through his spasms. When he finished coughing, his chin was warm and sticky with something…. His hands felt numb and cold, but he could detect the squeeze Keith gave him, urging him to continue speaking. A hand wiped carefully at his chin.

“What else?” Keith asked, voice urgent and uneven. Was he crying?

Lance couldn’t see. Everything was so blurry. His eyes were drooping, now.

He could feel his mom’s hugs… her arms were strong around him, and he was being pulled close, his head resting on her chest--

The skin of his fevered, sweaty cheek met cold armor, and he jolted awake.

“Lance!” Keith shouted, and he was brushing back Lance’s blood-soaked fringe, fingers tracing down his temple. He _was_ crying, Lance realized. How did his eyes look so beautiful in the dark? The lights from their armor basked Keith’s face in a cold glow, and his irises looked like a torrent of stormy colors- a hurricane.

Lance realized, with a sense of calm, that he wouldn’t mind if it was the last thing he saw.

He tried telling Keith this, but his words came out jumbled and slurred. Keith’s eyebrows furrowed, and he leaned closer.

“What? What is it?” he asked, eyes frantically searching Lance’s. Lance tried to breathe, but his chest felt like it was being crushed- caved in like the base around them. Air rattled around shallowly in his lungs as he gasped in air.

“I’m glad it’s you,” Lance spoke, again. The line between Keith’s brows grew deeper, and he seemed almost angry.

“What do you mean?”

Lance smiled weakly. He wanted to reach up- to smooth that line… to touch his cheek… or to tug at his hair. To do anything other than lie there motionless.

“I’m glad you’re with me… right now,” Lance clarified. He couldn’t feel the pain in his legs, anymore. Aftershocks shook the cave, and bits of rubble fell around them. Keith held Lance tight. He didn’t reach for his helmet, just pulled Lance closer and leaned over him. He was still looking into Lance’s eyes, and he seemed angry and confused. He didn’t say anything.

Lance couldn’t keep himself awake, anymore. His heart picked up in its pace, a barely-there flutter in his bruised chest.

“Don’t leave,” he spoke, and his voice was hitched with fright. Keith nodded fast.

“I won’t. I’m here- I’m not going anywhere.”

Lance wished he could squeeze Keith’s hand- wished he could say thank you. He wished he could do anything at all, but he was so tired.

So he closed his eyes. 

* * *

 

“All I’m saying,” Lance continued as he and Keith walked through abandoned purple halls, “is it’d be interesting to try.”

“For the last time: we aren’t switching weapons,” Keith snapped as he pushed aside some thick power cords that hung limply from the ceiling. Lance pushed them aside as well, and followed at Keith’s heels.

“But don’t you think it’d be--”

 _“Just because we did some lion swapping doesn't mean we should try switching weapons,”_ Pidge spoke through their intercom. Lance scowled.

“It’s not like I’m saying we’d try it out mid battle! I was thinking a training session- we can just pass them around… see what feels right.”

 _“You just want an excuse to use Keith’s sword,”_ Pidge retaliated. Lance blushed.

“I mean… if I can pilot Red, I feel like I could use her paladin’s weapon, too….”

 _“Uh, guys? Can we maybe discuss this another time?”_ Hunk piped in.

“Et tu, Brutus?” Lance deadpanned, feigning hurt.

_“Not that it isn’t an interesting theory, Lance. It’s just that I’m in the middle of trying to decipher some Galra tech and would really like a private channel with Pidge.”_

_“Hunk is right, paladins,”_ Allura spoke. _“Focus on your missions.”_

“Alright, alright,” Lance murmured. “But I’m bringing this up again at the castle!”

 _“Sure thing,”_ Pidge murmured before she cut herself, and subsequently Hunk, from the comms. Lance silenced his own comms when he saw Keith do the same.

He jogged to land at Keith’s left. Though he was shorter than Lance by a good inch, his strides were still long, and Lance had to keep up a good pace to stay in line with him.

_“So….”_

“Drop the switch thing, Lance,” Keith sighed.

“Aren’t you even a little bit curious?” Lance asked, only because Keith didn’t actually look angry at his antics. He was just wound up- he always was, these days. It had been three weeks since Shiro went missing, and they hadn’t even found a trace of a clue of where he might be. Keith even had the Blade of Marmora keeping an eye out, but still nothing. Not a peep.

They had no leads, and no way of knowing how to move forward with their leader absent from the group.

That was what brought them to where they were right now- infiltrating Galra bases on planets they’d successfully freed and cleared from Galra control. Pidge had suggested this, saying that the tech in these bases could contain information on where to find Shiro, and even possibly her family.

“Not really,” Keith answered. He stopped walking for a moment, lifted his arm, and summoned a map Pidge had sent him. The light of it shone on his face, and he and Lance were marked in a small part of the winding paths as blue and red dots. He studied it for a moment before the hologram blipped away, and he continued walking. Lance followed.

“Not even a _teeny-tiny_  bit?”

“Nope.”

“It’d be good to expand the amount of weapons you’re capable of using… really practical in future battles,” Lance pressed on.

At that, Keith spared Lance a side glance. He looked away, and seemed sheepish.

Lance suddenly understood, and he raised a brow as he cautiously asked, “Do you… not know how to use a gun?”

Keith frowned. Lance assumed it was weird for him to have something he wasn’t immediately perfect at.

“It’s not my… preferred weapon of choice.”

Lance blinked, shocked when he noticed a flush dusting Keith’s cheeks from behind the shield of his visor. Seeing as the air was breathable here, the glass only covered the upper half of his face. Lance could clearly see the frown that still twisted Keith’s lips.

“Well, it’s not a big deal,” he insisted. “It’s not like I’m a master with a sword like you. We could teach each other.” Lance stopped walking, and squinted at a distant door’s keypad. “In fact, let’s start now!”

Keith paused and looked at Lance, his eyes wide. “What?”

Lance gave a big smile. “Your first shooting lesson!” He summoned his bayard, and handed it to Keith. To his relief and satisfaction, it stayed in its form when in Keith’s hands. He pointed at the keypad, which sat on the wall a good ten meters away. “Aim at that.”

Keith obeyed, and lifted his arms, holding Lance’s gun awkwardly in his hands, bringing it far too close to his face.

Lance laughed good-naturedly before moving the gun in the right position, and adjusting Keith’s hands on it. “You’re gonna wanna put some space between your face and the butt of it unless you want the recoil to smash your visor.” He could feel the red paladin stiffen as Lance’s arms moved to wrap around him, hands flitting over his torso. He adjusted Keith’s hips and arms, fixing his stance before he backed away. “Alright, shoot.”

Keith did, and the blast hit the ceiling a good four feet above the keypad.

Lance blinked, and stifled a laugh, working hard to suppress his smile as he said, “That was… good.”

“I have eyes, Lance, I know I missed it by a mile,” Keith spoke grumpily, his face a red as deep as his armor as he lowered Lance’s bayard in defeat.

“It was your first shot! Give yourself a break. Here, try this,” Lance spoke as he adjusted Keith’s stance, again. “Which hand do you prefer?”

“Uh… I’m good with either.”

“Is that a Galra thing?” Lance joked, and Keith snorted, a smile stretching his lips, teeth bright. It made Lance wonder when the last time Keith smiled was, and his heart gave an unexpected _thump!_ against his ribs at the rare sight of it. He seemed to be the only one capable of getting Keith to loosen up like this since Shiro went missing, and he was strangely proud of that.

“Honestly? It could be,” Keith replied. Lance smiled before standing behind Keith and positioning his arms. He put his own hands under Keith’s left bicep and right forearm, holding it steady for him. Their helmets clunked together, but neither of them pulled away from one another, and Lance’s chin was practically resting on Keith’s shoulder as he squinted at their target. One of his hands went to cover Keith’s where it supported the gun. He left Keith's trigger finger alone.

“... Alright. Try that,” Lance spoke, but his hands didn’t leave Keith.

Keith shot, and hit the keypad straight in the center. The door it connected to opened, and lights flickered for a moment within the room. Lance let out a joyful laugh and then a “whoop!” before pulling away to look at Keith, who seemed as though he was still trying to process the whole thing.

“Keith!” Lance exclaimed. “You did it!”

Keith suddenly smiled, and let out a breathy laugh. “Yeah.”

Lance looked back at the keypad before letting out a giddy giggle, and he turned to face Keith, raising a hand for a high-five. Keith met it, and they held onto one another for a second as Lance beamed with pride.

“Nice job, Mullet.”

Keith smirked.

“Well you’re not such a bad teacher.”

Lance raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin lifting his lips.

“Am I dreaming or did you actually compliment me?”

The red paladin rolled his eyes, though he was still smiling. “Do you want me to pinch you or something?”

“This is such a momentous occasion. I’m telling _everyone_ about it when we get back.”

Just as Keith was about to retaliate, he paused.

“Did you hear that?” he asked, face contorted in concentration as he observed the hall before them.

Lance stopped to listen, but didn’t catch any weird noises. There was just the hum of the air in the stillness of the abandoned base. He waited ten seconds before he spoke up.

“I don’t hear anything. Maybe it’s your super freaky Galra senses--”

 _“Shh,”_ Keith hissed, “listen!”

And Lance heard it, then, a clamor that echoed from down the hall.

Keith took Lance by the arm and dragged him back, putting himself in front. That was when a Galra soldier rounded the corner, blaster in his hands. He turned and caught sight of the two paladins, then immediately raised his weapon--

“Keith! Shoot!”

Keith did, and the blast went over the Galra’s shoulder, just barely grazing him and instead burning a hole through the wall behind him. He shot back at them, and Lance summoned his shield, taking the hit for them. The soldier fell back, running the way he came. Lance let his shield dissipate as he looked to Keith. There was fire in the red paladin’s gaze, and Lance felt just as charged.

“We’ll work on it,” he spoke before quickly grabbing his bayard from Keith and running after the guard. “C’mon!”

Keith wielded his sword and advanced quickly, and Lance somehow kept up with the speedy paladin. They caught up to the soldier, following him through the maze of the abandoned and destroyed base. Then the Galra turned a corner, and the two paladins tailed him, hot on his heels.

But he’d disappeared.

They both looked around, weapons readied and raised in front of their chests. Their pants filled the silence of the empty hall.

“Where did he go?” Lance murmured.

“I don’t know,” Keith answered, and he looked down ahead at the paths presented to them. At the end of the hall, it forked into two separate passageways.They remained silent for a few seconds, and Keith glared as he thought out their options. “He probably went down one of these halls. We should split up and look around,” he spoke, voice stiff.

“No,” Lance instantly rebutted. “I’ve got a bad feeling… he knows this place better than us. We’re at a disadvantage. We should stick together.”

Keith looked like he wanted to argue, but he flattened his mouth into a line at the resolve in Lance’s eyes. He nodded stiffly, and Lance felt himself relax.

“Fine.”

Lance brushed his hand along the wall closest to him. This hall was empty of any rooms… but it would’ve been impossible for the soldier to have escaped down one of the two paths without Keith and Lance seeing. They had been _right behind him._

“There must be a secret room,” Lance spoke up, running his hand along the wall before it dipped slightly in a certain spot.

A spot shaped like a hand- completely camouflaged other than the slight indent it created in the otherwise smooth metal walls. “Here!” Lance exclaimed, then looked to the red paladin. “Keith--”

But Keith was way ahead of him. He moved Lance’s hand aside with his own, taking his place. The sensor scanned him, and a few feet to their left the wall slid quickly open, revealing a room.

They dashed inside, and were met with the Galra soldier.

He was at a control table, typing a string of code fervently into a keyboard. A confusing jumble of Galran language appeared on a screen above him in bright red letters. At Lance and Keith’s intrusion, he whipped himself around to meet them. He didn’t look shocked at all- instead, a triumphant smirk lifted his lips.

“You’re too late,” he growled.

Before they could even respond, the Galra quickly turn back to the keyboard, his hand reaching for a switch.

Lance raised his gun and pulled the trigger.

The blast hit the soldier the second he flipped the switch. Lance was too late.

The base rumbled angrily, and alarms blared.

Keith was running to the controls, trying to reverse whatever the soldier had set off. He typed frantically at the keys, but they seemed to be locked.

Lance was nearly thrown off his feet as he desperately tried to make his way to Keith. The room shook, then multiple blasts sounded- far away, and getting closer. The ceiling above Keith began to crumble.

 _“KEITH!”_ Lance shouted.

Keith looked up right on time, and withdrew his shield as debris began to fall. Lance did the same, and finally reached the red paladin. He grabbed his arm, and looked into his eyes. Their shields bruised their backs and heads, crashing against them with every heavy bit of ceiling that came falling down.

“Come on!” Lance shouted. “We gotta find shelter!”

Before Keith could reply, a huge chunk of stone struck him. His shield took most of the blow, and it bashed roughly against Keith’s helmeted head before it dissipated. Lance quickly supported Keith, who seemed dazed, pulling him close and using his own shield to cover them. He looked around for a stable part of the room. Blasts still went off throughout the base, and half the room had been destroyed, the ceiling and structure of it fallen onto the ground, now-  metal frames and panels contorted and destroyed.

A deep moan of bending metal sounded, and the ceiling above them crumbled--

Lance pushed Keith under the table.

Everything came crashing down.

* * *

 

Harsh coughs left Keith’s lungs the moment he woke. He was caked in dust and dirt, and it sat heavily on his visor in a layer of grime. He wiped it to the best of his ability, relieved to find that both his arms moved fine, albeit with a bit of stiffness. He sat up slowly.

His head hammered with pain, and he hissed as he held it still with his hands, trying to remember how he had gotten here, and what had happened--

Lance.

Keith immediately looked around for the blue paladin and, upon not seeing him, he tried to stand on his shaky legs. The room was mostly collapsed. In areas where the ceiling stayed fairly intact, pink lights flickered dimly. Rubble surrounded Keith- he couldn’t see the floor, only different sized piles of rock and metal. The frame of the base was like a crumbling skeleton around them, and Keith knew they only had a little time to get out before they were both buried completely. Small bits of debris cascaded down his form as he lifted himself fully onto his feet.

“Lance!” Keith shouted, his voice grated and echoed. He coughed harshly, lungs filled with dust.

No response. Keith immediately activated his comms.

“Allura? Allura, can you hear me?”

Static met his ears.

“Pidge? Hunk? Do you copy?”

Silence.

 _“Anyone?!_ Please, is anyone there?”

When no help answered, Keith’s hand went to his sore throat as he shouted again, voice breaking.

_“LANCE!”_

Dust and small rocks fell onto him, and Keith shielded himself with his arm. He took a deep breath, ignoring the dirt that coated his tongue, and shouted once more.

“Lance! Are you there?!”

He heard faint coughing, and something that sounded like a muffled voice.

Keith’s eyes widened, head tilting as he tried to pinpoint the location of the noise. _“Lance?!”_

Silence, then an audible, “... Keith.”

It was coming from behind him, and to his right. Keith ran towards a tall pile of rubble and immediately dug through the debris there, trying to find the blue paladin.

“Talk to me, Lance! Where are you?”

“Keith,” Lance spoke, and he seemed to be closer- clearer, “it’s not good, buddy… not good.”

Keith continued to dig, pushing aside rock and metal until he saw the soft blue glow of light from Lance’s armor. He dug through the remaining debris to reveal a metal board, and he shoved it off with all his strength. Lance was underneath, bloodied and battered with his legs and arms limp by his sides.

“Lance!” Keith exclaimed, clearing more rubble before landing on his knees next to Lance. His hands flitted over the blue paladin, examining him, eyes flicking frantically over his frame before landing on what looked to be shrapnel, which had found its way into Lance’s abdomen, buried snugly in there. Keith felt his mouth dry.

“Not looking too hot, huh?” Lance asked, his stare fixated on Keith’s face and reading his expression. Keith immediately tore his gaze away from the wound, meeting hazy blue eyes.

“Nothing a cryopod can’t fix,” he spoke, but his voice was shaky. Lance detected the tremor in it, and a look of uncertainty flickered over his face before he gave Keith a smile.

“Thanks for finding me,” he murmured, and Keith swallowed hard.

“You wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for me,” he retorted. Lance laughed, but it sounded shrill and afraid. Blood gushed from the rim of the shrapnel. Keith wished he had a clean cloth to wrap around the metal and keep Lance from bleeding out.

“Guess I was pretty brave… a top notch paladin,” Lance joked, eyes filled with unshed tears and scrunched with fear. Keith could hear his quick breaths and panicked gasps, though they were shallow and soft.

Keith met Lance’s gaze, and held it. Lance stilled for a moment, his facade at nonchalance faltering.

“Yes,” Keith spoke, and his voice was hard, “you are.”

Lance’s lip quivered, and he opened his mouth to speak, instead releasing a slight hiccup. He took a moment to compose himself.

“Keith… buddy… is it alright if you,” he hesitated, eyes flicking away and mouth pressing into a line. A tear ran down his cheek, streaking cleanly through the dirt and grime that caked itself onto Lance’s skin. Keith immediately moved forward, finding himself wiping it away, and his hand went to Lance’s shoulder until he met Keith’s gaze, again.

“Tell me,” he urged.

Lance took a deep shaky breath, and Keith could see how it pained him to do so. “Hold me… please.”

Keith did. He lifted Lance’s limp form, gently laying him across his lap and supporting his head. His helmet had gotten lost somewhere, knocked off, and a nasty gash laid across his hairline, painting the brown tendrils with blood. Keith removed his own helmet, putting it to the side.

They both remained silent- Keith with his arms wound around Lance, hand petting his hair, and Lance lying limply there, hardly able to even twitch his fingers. Lance’s eyes glistened, reflecting the light of Keith’s armor so that his tears shined an electric blue.

“I’m scared,” Lance revealed, and his voice was so small Keith almost missed it.

He felt something tug in his chest, and his fingers froze in Lance’s hair.

“Me, too.”

Lance laughed at that, and his chest shook with the action. Keith watched as tears fell from his squinted eyes, rolling down his cheeks like shooting stars.

“Good,” Lance sighed, a grin still stretching his lips. The stars collected in the indents of his laughter lines.

Keith smiled, even though everything within him felt like it was drowning. “We’ll get out of here. I’ll get us out of here.”

Lance blinked, and it was sluggish. Keith felt concern freeze his veins. “The others?” he asked.

Keith hesitated. “They’re not replying… I think we lost connection with the castle.”

Lance’s eyes widened, and he swallowed hard. “Oh.”

“We’ll be okay,” Keith promised.

Lance nodded, and smiled. It didn't reach his eyes.

They fell into silence after that. Keith listened to Lance’s shallow breathing, looking around them for a way out, but all he could see was piles and piles of rubble. He didn’t even know where in the room they were, it was destroyed beyond recognition and they were mostly bathed in darkness.

When he looked back to Lance, he was struggling to keep his eyes open. Keith’s heart kicked with fear, and he jostled the blue paladin.

“Hey. Stay awake,” he demanded, and Lance’s brows knit together as a pained whimper left his throat. “You gotta stay with me.”

“M’kay,” Lance breathed, and Keith could see the sweat that beaded on his forehead. His wound was still steadily leaking blood, and Keith had been trying in vain to block it to the best of his abilities. But there was only so much he could do.

At this point, he just had to keep Lance awake until help arrived.

“Tell me something,” Keith decided, “the first thing that comes to your mind.”

Lance thought for a moment before he answered, voice rough.

“My mom.”

Keith’s heart skipped. He nodded, grasping onto the words like a lifeline.

“Yeah? What about her. Talk to me, Lance.”

Lance smiled dazedly, as if he were dreaming.

“I miss her… a lot. Miss her voice.”

Keith waited patiently for Lance to continue, but the blue paladin gave an uncomfortable whimper before saying, “Hurts… my legs.”

Keith’s fingers went to Lance’s hair, pushing it back and trying to soothe him.

“I know. It’s okay.”

Lance’s breath skipped, and his eyes were glazed.

“We’re in it bad, this time.”

Keith swallowed. He didn’t know what to say- he couldn’t lie and say everything was alright. He was shocked, however, when Lance broke into a fit of giggles. He stopped shortly with a wince, but that smile still graced the rest of his pained features.

“My mom would kick my ass if she knew the things we've been doing in outer space…. Flying robot lions... fighting aliens. She always got mad… when I’d sneak out… or do something reckless.”

Keith smiled softly. Gravel fell upon the both of them, dust filling the air.

“Tell me something else about her.”

* * *

 It all came in bits and pieces when he thought about it:

Keith shouting his name, eyes wide and agonized.

Another crash- terrible and loud, shaking the ground beneath them... Keith shielding Lance with his body, holding him close and tight… an indescribable heat as the room seemed to melt away… Keith shouting something different, now.

Lance remembered colors… greens, yellows, red hair and worried eyes, and then another pair of eyes that were blue, pink, and filled with a galaxy… he remembered brown fingers pressing on his heart, and a feeling of relief- like his chest was no longer caved in, and his lungs were filled with clean air. He remembers gasping in, hearing a combination of happy voices.

He remembers dark hair tickling his nose as someone pressed their forehead to his… he remembers lips on his cheek, and a voice sighing something in relief, thick with tears, and maybe it was Lance’s name that met his ears… maybe it was a prayer… something said in anger... he couldn’t remember that much.

He remembers the shrapnel being pulled out, and a pain like fire.

The rest was coldness. Sleep. Empty.

Then he woke up. 

* * *

 

The cryopod doors slid open, and Lance stepped out before collapsing onto his knees.

Gloved hands instantly went to his elbows, helping him up.

“There you are… that’s it, easy,” an accented voice urged.

“C’ran?” Lance asked, voice weak, and his tongue still tasted like dirt.

“Yes, my boy, it’s me. You’re alright,” he soothed as Lance stood gingerly on his feet. It was then that he noticed Hunk and Pidge asleep off to the side, both leaned into one another in a slumped manner on the floor. “Careful, now... slowly,” Coran instructed. Once Lance was on his feet, Coran slung his arm over his shoulders and walked him towards one of the medical bay’s beds. Every step was excruciatingly difficult, as if Lance’s legs were made of cement. He could hardly bend them. His arm not supported by Coran laid useless by his side, heavy as lead.

“What happened?” Lance asked, his thoughts a jumbled mess.

“I’ll explain in a moment. First I need to check your vitals.”

Lance nodded, looking around the room. Hunk and Pidge were the only ones there. Not for the first time, Lance felt strange at the absence of Shiro, who he knew would have been waiting by the cryopods to make sure Lance was alright, and to update him on how their mission had gone... to restore some semblance of order.

It must have been late in their scheduled day, because Hunk and Pidge didn’t stir at any noise- not even when Lance accidentally kicked his bed, budging it and making it emit an obnoxious scraping sound.

Lance sat down as Coran checked up on him. He was in nothing but his flight suit, which was torn and dirty. Coran scanned Lance with some devices, and proceeded to poke and prod at his limbs, marvelling in the supposed regrowth of Lance’s bones.

“Human anatomy is so strange,” Coran murmured. “It would’ve taken twice the amount of time to regrow Altean bone cells in a cryopod... you're all so fragile.”

Lance blinked. “How long was I in there for?” he asked as Coran fiddled with one of his scanning devices, reading it carefully.

“About one of your Earth weeks now, I’d say,” he murmured absently.

Everything started to come back to Lance slowly, then. He was beginning to remember....

“Where’s Keith?” Lance asked, his heart suddenly pounding with fear. Coran started at that, looking at Lance, and his eyes were guilty. He avoided Lance’s frantic gaze. _“Coran,_ where is he?”

“I’m not sure,” he finally answered.

Lance’s eyes widened. “What do you mean you’re not sure?”

“Lie down and rest, Lance. You’re still healing--”

“No," Lance interrupted, chest puffing out with anger as he made to stand up. He collapsed, though, and Coran quickly supported him. But Lance didn't give up, instead saying, "I’m not going to sleep until you tell me what’s going on.”

Coran frowned, his eyes sad. “Once I’d assured him you’d be fine, he disappeared and none of us saw him the rest of the day. The morning after we put you in the cryopod, he left the castle with no warning... just a note saying not to worry, and that he’d be back soon enough. He and the red lion have been gone ever since.”

Lance gaped incredulously. “Hasn’t Allura tried to locate them?”

“She’s choosing to respect his privacy. I believe she knows something about Keith’s solo mission that we don’t…. You can ask her, but only after you’ve gotten some proper rest.”

Lance swallowed hard, and gave a stiff nod.

So Coran finished his checkup, and Lance fell straight into a fitful sleep.

* * *

That morning, after a tearful reunion with Pidge and Hunk, Lance scouted out Allura. He found her seated in the castle’s lounge room, legs drawn underneath her from her spot on a couch. She was busy studying an array of holograms before her that seemed filled with data, and didn't even notice Lance walking in. She was donned in her full armor, Lance noticed, as if ready for battle at any moment. That was normally how it was at the castle ever since Shiro left. Lance, himself, only ever took off his armor when going to sleep.

“Princess,” Lance called, alerting her to his presence.

She turned her head around and looked up, then immediately stood. Relief flooded her features.

“Lance! I meant to visit you….”

“It’s fine,” Lance dismissed, making his way over. His legs were still stiff, and Allura moved as if to help him, but Lance shook his head. “I'm okay. I just need to talk to you.”

“Yes, of course.”

Lance met her eyes, measuring her. “About Keith,” he added.

He saw a flicker of emotion in her eyes, but couldn’t decipher it. She sighed before she spoke.

“I understand. I’m sure you’re worried.”

Lance held her gaze. “Please, Allura. Tell me where he is.”

Allura seemed to contemplate over something for a moment before sitting down, and she patted a space next to her. Lance joined her, his sore legs screaming with relief.

“The red lion found you and Keith. It led us to you, and we arrived just on time. But once we’d brought you back to the castle… we weren’t sure you’d make it. I’d given you enough of my quintessence to get you to a cryopod, but your wounds were nearly fatal. It truly is a miracle that you survived that collapse. After he’d made sure you were stable, Keith took the red lion and set off to find the commander of the base you both had been in. I helped Keith pinpoint his location.”

Lance gazed at her in disbelief for a moment, stuttering as he tried to think of what to say. 

“Why?” he exclaimed, feeling rage boil under his skin, “Why would you do that? He’s going to get himself killed!”

"You and I both know Keith can’t be stopped when he has his mind set on something,” Allura admonished. “I decided it was wiser to help him than to let him go in blind. Not only can he gain a sense of peace, but he can gather the data that was destroyed at the base. It has to be vital information if that guard was so determined to prevent you from obtaining it.”

Lance’s jaw clenched with anger, but he knew Allura was right.

“Do you have any way to contact him?”

Allura hesitated. “No. He cut off his communication unit before leaving.”

Lance slumped forward, putting his head in his hands. He sighed roughly, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. He wanted to do something- wanted to get into his own lion and hunt down the hot-headed paladin. But he knew he couldn't.

“So now what?” he asked, voice resigned.

He’d never seen Allura look more grave. “Now we wait.” 

* * *

 

So Lance did. He spent most of his time in the medical wing, heeding Coran’s instructions and working to get his legs and arms restored to their previous strength. It was meticulous work, and Lance had to spend most of it taking breaks, the memories and brutal flashbacks of the cave-in too much. He felt as though he could still hear the explosions- could still feel the weight of debris piled above him, and the shrapnel in his gut... the fear of death looming so close, and the frantic thoughts that flitted through his mind in what he'd thought were his last moments-- all the things he never got to do or say.

Coran was patient, as were the others. They didn’t push him to talk about it, and worked to help him recover.

Pidge gave Lance their headphones, which he used most of the day to listen to music and drown out the haunting crashes and booms that never seemed to leave his mind. Hunk made Lance meals he could easily eat, and never got offended when Lance could only stomach a few bites before getting sick and having to excuse himself. Allura didn’t even push Lance to train with the others, and instead suggested he get some rest. He didn’t, however, wanting to distract himself with the familiar training routines they’d all gotten used to, so Allura didn’t object when he said as much.

Though Lance appreciated all the help everyone had been giving him, there was really just one person he knew that could really get him through this.

And that person was probably halfway across the galaxy, fighting some evil aliens all on his own because he couldn't stay still and _think_ for one minute.

Lance was anxious. He wasn't sleeping... he was hardly eating. Most nights he just wandered the corridors of the castle, finding himself straying towards Red's hangar where he'd proceed to wait for Keith to come back.

It took three days.

Lance had woken up from another nightmare. He'd dreamt he was back at the base, but that Keith wasn't there. Instead, he was being buried alive- screaming for help that would never arrive. He woke up shouting, and shivered as he came back to reality- cold in his bed at the castle.

And, just like every night since he left the cryopod, Lance made his walk to the lions' bays. The castle was quiet and dark. There was not even the slightest bit of noise- no sound of Pidge messing with alien tech, no burst of Hunk's laughter or low singing as he cooked, no hushed and serious conversations between Coran and Allura... no sharp clangs of Keith's sword against combat simulators in the training room. It was dead silent.

That was why Lance almost didn't believe it when he heard a commotion- what sounded like a dull boom, coming straight from the hangars.

Red.

Keith was back.

Lance heart soared, and he broke into a sprint.

He almost sobbed with relief when he saw Keith standing at the end of the hall in full armor, his helmet tucked under his arm and his face tired and dirty.

"Keith!" Lance exclaimed, and the red paladin jolted before his eyes met Lance's.

He seemed to brighten up immediately.

"Lance!" Keith gasped as Lance crashed into him, giving him a big hug. Keith hesitated a moment before returning it, holding Lance tight and burying his face in Lance's neck.

Lance didn't know how long they held onto each other, but it was long enough for the tidal waves of emotions crashing within him to settle and differentiate themselves. He could pinpoint everything he was feeling: relief, joy, grief, worry, anger.

He didn't even know what to say, and maybe that was why he held on a little longer... maybe it was why Keith didn't try to break away, either.

Eventually, Lance pried himself away. Keith's hands lingered on Lance's shoulders before pulling back, and when his eyes met Lance's they were filled with just as many emotions.

Lance, still lost on what he wanted to ask first, chose to grab Keith's hand. His heart pounded when he got a tiny squeeze in return. He looked into Keith's eyes, and felt relieved when the red paladin gave the slightest nod. Lance didn't even have to speak- Keith already knew.

"Let's go," he murmured, and he tugged Lance along. 

Lance followed.

* * *

 

 "You have to promise not to get mad," Keith spoke, and there was something in his voice that Lance knew not to test. He decided he wouldn't get mad at Keith, because Keith already seemed so agonized with himself.

"I promise."

They were sitting on the floor of the control room, Lance's blanket draped over their shoulders. Keith had taken a shower and changed into his clothes. His hair was still wet, and it smelled familiar... it calmed Lance, in a way. He wanted to lean into him, to bury his nose in the warm skin of Keith's neck... to affirm he was there, right next to him.

Keith was looking out at the stars. They reflected purple in his eyes.

"I went looking for the commander of the base we went to... I was mad, and didn't think... I just wanted to  _do_ something... I couldn't stand there and see you hurt, anymore."

Lance swallowed.

"What did you do?" he asked.

Keith immediately looked down, ashamed, and Lance held his breath. They were both silent for a long time as Lance absorbed the news- the weight of what went unsaid.

"Keith...." he finally spoke.

"Fourteen of them... I found their ship- Allura gave me the coordinates. And I killed fourteen soldiers, including the commander," he revealed, and his voice was heavy with anger. "That's not even the worst of it."

Lance took a careful breath, eyes fixed on Keith's profile. He watched the way his jaw clenched- his thick, dark eyelashes like an umbrella over eyes squinted with emotion- confliction, shame--

"What happened?" Lance asked. It took Keith a long time to reply to that, and Lance almost thought he wouldn't until he heard his grated voice speak up.

“I… I changed.”

Lance tried to understand. “What do you mean? How?”

“Into one of _them,_ Lance,” Keith spoke, voice raw, and his eyes gathered with tears- they collected in clumps on his lashes. “When I… when I put my knife against the commander's throat… I was so angry. I didn’t even think, I just did it. Then I saw myself- my skin went purple, and--”

“Keith,” Lance spoke in a hushed manner, and his hand found its way to the red paladin’s cheek, smoothing damp hair back. Keith refused to look at him, shrinking away from Lance's gentle touch as though he didn't deserve it. Lance hardened his voice, trying to get through to the red paladin. “You’re still you. Nothing has changed. Just because you know where you're from doesn't mean it makes you any different. It’s not something you can control.”

But Keith shook his head. He seemed angry.

"Zarkon told me I fight like a Galra soldier. And he's  _right_ _,_ Lance! I killed all those soldiers, and I didn't even think about it! I didn't even hesitate! I was like a machine- I couldn't control myself--"

"You're not like them," Lance insisted. "Look at me, Keith," he begged, and Keith did after a moment. Lance took his hands, and stared firmly into Keith's eyes. "Listen: you are  _not_ like them. If you were, you wouldn't be going through this, right now. You wouldn't feel guilty- you wouldn't feel anything at all. You're hot-headed, and you fight and run into the nearest battle to avoid thinking about your feelings, but that doesn't make you a monster. Taking down those soldiers- I'm not going to tell you it was the right thing to do, but I will tell you the truth: they've destroyed so many innocent lives. They'd kill you if they had the chance. They'd take over Earth- have already taken over so many planets, killed so many people. I can't say you did the moral thing- you may have even done a bad thing, but it  _doesn't_ make you a bad person."

Lance saw Keith swallow hard before he looked down at the space between them. He rubbed an arm stubbornly over his eyes, and sniffed. Then he grabbed Lance by the shirt, and pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you," he murmured, face buried in Lance's chest. 

Lance wrapped his arms around Keith, and they stayed like that for a moment before they pulled away and met eyes.

Faces flushed, they dodged their gazes away and looked at the stars. 

A few minutes passed before Lance spoke.

"Hey Keith?"

"Yeah?"

Lance shuffled a bit closer, and turned to look at Keith's profile, again, watching his face carefully.

"Back in the base... when Allura healed me with her weird Altean magic... did you maybe kiss my cheek a little?"

Keith's eyes widened, face a deep red, and he met Lance's gaze before looking away. His fingers fiddled with the blanket around them, and he instantly brushed off the idea.

"What? No- you probably imagined it," he spoke, and his voice was maybe a little too high.

Lance gave a thoughtful hum. "That's a shame," he murmured, and Keith looked at him incredulously, "I don't think I would be completely opposed... if you had."

Keith stared at him dumbly for a moment, and they both sat in Lance's response.

Then a fist balled itself in the collar of Lance's shirt, tugging him close, and he barely had any time to register it before Keith's lips were on his own- hot and angry and desperately loving all at the same time, his hands cradling Lance's head- tangled in his hair.

Lance smiled into the kiss, his heart giving a pleasant flip high up in his chest before settling, and he wound his arms around Keith, happily kissing him back.

Lance lost count of how many kisses they shared before they finally pulled away a giggling mess, faces flushed and hair mussed- hands still holding onto one another.

When they looked back to the stars, Keith's head was on Lance's chest, and Lance's fingers were playing with the long strands of his hair- absentmindedly braiding it.

For the first time in a long time, Lance felt like everything would be alright.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you follow my fic "Yesterday", I am working hard on the next chapter, and plan to have it to you guys as soon as I can. Thanks so much for the support <3


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